Railroad-cab coupling



Q'She'ets-Sheet 1. C. H. SENBRANT.

Car Coupling.

Patntd May 24, 1859.

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CHRISTIAN H. EISENBRANDT, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

RAILROAD-CAR COUPLING'.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 24,109, dated May 24, 1859.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN H. EISEN- BRANDT, of the city of Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented and made certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Car Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following, is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figures l and 2, represent the truck or running part of the car, with the coupling devices attached thereto, and a fragment taken out of the platform to show the devices as connected thereto. Figs. 3 and 4, represent the coupling devices detached from the car.

The nature of my improvements consists in constructing a car coupling in such a manner, as that it is self coupling, and detachable when the cars are thrown olf the track, and at the same time, acts as a brake or lock in connection with the wheels of the car, thus performing the double ofIice, at the same time of, self detaching and checking the cars, all of which will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

The construction of my improvements is inthe following manner. In Figs. l and 3 at a, a, a, a, a, are represented two metal plates of any desired and suitable shape, between which are inserted and securely attached, flat springs z2 a2 a3 a3 and indicated also by the dotted lines at at.

At b, 5 0, c-CZ, cZ-e, e are represented prong clasping grippers, the butt ends of which are jointed to the plates a, a, a, a, so as to open outwardly right and left, as indicated by the dotted formations Z22, b2, b2, b2, Fig. 3. One of the prong clasping grippers is formed with a catch placel or notch 02, c2, and the other one has a catch e2.

At f, f, is shown a small lever spring latch with a pin g, and spring h, t, riveted on the back thereof. The pin g, is designed to fit into a perforation or hole in the lip part e', of the catch plate, 02, and catch e2.

At J, J, is represented a step plate, to be attached by screws, or bolts, to theunder side or bottom of the car truck as shown in Fig. 4. To this step plate J, J, is an upright bolt, or hitching pin, K, K, to which is attached at the upper end a chain or cord L, L, L, L, provided with a button or ring m, m. At fn, 11 n, n, Fig. 2, are represented sliding rods, or bolts, attached by staples or otherwise, to the end of the car truck.

`These bolts have handles o, 0, and hooking ordinarily done, when the bolt or hitching pin K, K, enters between the prongs c, 0,- e, e, causing them to open or expand, when the hitching pin or bolt K, K, after passing in between the clasping gripping parts b, b, d, rl, presses forward, against the lever spring latch f, f, the pin g, thereby entering the lip part I, and holding the clasping grippers b, 6,-d, d, together securely so that the coupling can not become detached unless the cars are thrown off the track, and meet with accident.

In the movement of the cars forward,

the couplings are together as shown in Figs. l and 2, but when the cars are thrown oif the track, the hitching pin or bolt K, K, presses hard against the` side of the clasping grippers Z?, bc, (l, when the latch lever f f through the agency of the spring h, L, flies back thereby withdrawing the pin g, from the lip I, and causing the clasping grippers b, b-cl, d, to expand or open, when the hitching pin or bolt K, K, becomes detached therefrom and the cars are disconnected.

A peculiar, and important additional feature of improvement pertaining to my coupling, is, that by the connecting of the button or ring mi, m to the end r of the lever g, Q, g, connecting with the brake of the car the cars can thereby be checked, or stopped by the detaching of the hitching pin K, K; the checking power, being transmitted through the chain or cord L, L, L, L, when the drawing or pulling thereof presses down the end of the lever g, g, g, thus actuating the brake devices, which may be connected or combined with the coupling in the manner described and shown.

When it is desirable, to detach the cars by manual agency, the sliding bolts or rods n, a,

tached, the sliding bolts or rods are turned up, so as not to permitthe ends 79, p to be in the position as represented, in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 3, the dotted lines 62, '62, b2, indi-i cate the position of the prongs c, c,-e, e, when distended or open. The springs a2, L3-a2 L3 cause the clasping grippers b I) cl, d, to react or close, immediately after the hitching pin K, K, passes in between them, as shoWn'in Figs. l, and 2.

The hitching pin K, K, is formed With a -tenon at one end Which fits Ainto the step part J, J, securely, but is detachable therefrom when desired.

It Will be observed, that my improvements perform the double oice of detaching or uncoupling, and at the same time, locking `or operating brakes of the car; thus acting automatically.

Having described lthe nature construction and operation of my improvements .in car couplings, what I claim `as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

l. I claim the plates a, a, a, a; With the springs a2, `z3-z2 as; the prong clasping grlppers` b, c, 02, d, @-62, With the spring 4latchf, fg, h, i, constructed, arranged, and

operated substantially as set forth.

2. .I also claim theV hitching pin or bolt K, K, provided With the chain and button, or ring L,VL-M, M, When arranged, operated and used in combination With the clasping `prong {gri-ppers Z), c-c2-fl, @-02 and brake lever g, g,1g, 7', substantially as 35 i 

